Starcrossed
by Aniki the Crim
Summary: What if Beka had been a thief with no siblings, not a Dog? Just something i thought would be fun to write. On Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

January 15

270 Human Era

Journal Of Rebekah Sarrasri

Writ Around Midday

I have decided that I will keep a journal. Not a silly diary like those of snobby court ladies, but a journal in which I can write things I believe would be good to remember. I will write in it everyday unless I am physically unable to. I should probably start with describing myself shouldn't I?

My name is Rebekah Sarrasri but I go by just Beka. I have hard-earned muscles and am of average height. My hair is pure black and I have very pale skin. I am told my eyes are disturbing, they tend to change color with my mood. My normal color is bright silver though. Also, I like blades. Swords, daggers, throwing knives, I'll take any of them so long as they've got a good edge and aren't likely to break on me. Not only do I like blades, I can use them. I have had many years of practice with them, so I should hope I picked up at least a minute amount of skill.

I am 17 years old and a lone rogue. Actually, to be accurate, I am _the_ Lone Rogue, for all other thieves, pickpockets, and other criminals are sworn to the Rogue, Gladimaeus Lockhorn. The only reason I am not on Lockhorn's leash is that I bested the last three Rogues who tried to add me to their ranks. When I bested the first one at age 12 I became a subject of interest and a challenge for the new Rogue. He too tried to get me to become one of his playthings. His time as the Rogue was shortest in history of Rogues: one month. The third Rogue believed that he had to best me to keep the position of Rogue from becoming a laughing stock. He took his time about it, sending assassins and such after me. That might've worked when I was 12 or 13, but by this time I was already 15. None of his assassins ever reported back to him, they didn't have the chance. So, about 6 months later, this Rogue challenged me by slapping me across the face. I was so infuriated that I slit his throat right then and there and declared the challenge over. Fortunately, Lockhorn has been smarter then his predecessors so far. He does send the occasional rushers after me, but I'm glad for that; it keeps me in practice.

My only companions are Star Strike and Moonless. Star Strike is a falcon that is really a constellation called, "The Falconer's Bird." Constellations get sent to the mortal realms only if a person is in favor of at least one of the gods. Mithros do not strike me down for bragging, I am merely repeating what Star told me. Yes, Star can talk, just like any other constellation. Moonless is the bat-snake I stole from a half-crazed merchant who seriously abused all the creatures he sold. Moonless has been my faithful companion ever since I set her free.

I am going to eat now. It's near time for lunch and I missed breakfast this morning— again.

Writ in late Evening

Ouch. Got into fight down at the Golden Swan bar again. Pox-rotted rushers. Ten of 'em came at me. I took care of them easily, but one lucky cove slashed my leg from knee to ankle as he fell. I had a healer take care of it but there will be a scar there.

There were three foreigners at the bar tonight, and they looked dangerous. I wonder if they're here for Lockhorn's position, but I do hope not. Lockhorn's a good Rogue, the best one Tarrasmont has seen for 50 years, and he worked hard for his position. The foreigners are two gixies and one cove. The first gixie is tall with fiery red hair and bright green eyes. She has the look of a battle-hardened warrior and carries a very well made two-hand sword. I want the blade, but the gixie's got such a fierce look in her I that I believe that I will avoid her.

The second gixie is short and rather pixie-like, with hair as black as mine and light brown eyes that somehow manage to look dark. She has an air of magic around her and she carries a longbow that is taller than she is. She looks like she can use it, small as she may be. I will _definitely_ stay away from her.

And last, but I think not least, there is the cove. He is tall, strong, and looks like he's fast. He has long blonde hair, so blonde it's almost white, skin that's almost as pale as mine, and coal-black eyes. He looks dangerous, and yet attractive. He is very handsome to say the least…

This cove is an enemy, not some common Tarrasmont thief that I could fall in love with. The gods are cruel to place such a cove in this city. I thought having a constellation meant you were favored by the gods, not that… Kyprioth. I believe that he is the god favoring me. Great. Lucky me. It would explain a lot though. He is the god of thieves, so I immediately owe something to him. Also, he is the Trickster god, which would explain the cove's being here. _Kyprioth_ I thought. _If I am truly in your favor, then why do you torment me like this?_

Back to business. The cove carries no obvious weapons as the gixies do, but I can tell that there are many blades on his person. Four wrist knives, three belt knives, two boot knives, and four daggers sewn into his shirt. He also carries six more knives in the pack under the table and there is a long sword next to it. Both are hidden by magic, which is rather strange. I know all of this because of my "gift." I have the Gift of the Blade, which means that I can track and identify blades without seeing them, use all blades, including ones that are spelled with a curse in case someone other than their owners' try to wield them, and sometimes I can move them without touching them.

So I have established that the cove has many blades, and the only question remaining is, can he use them?

My leg is throbbing, my hand is cramping, and I am tired, so I'm going to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

January 16

270 HE

Writ in the Evening

The foreigners I mentioned last night are from Scanra, and they are thieves such as me. I was out on my daily route this morning to relieve some merchants of their purses and reduce the number of rushers some when I heard that the Rogue had been bested by the foreign cove. Apparently the Scanrans hadn't liked the idea of being sworn to an overlord, so the cove had challenged Lockhorn and won. What's more though, the cove hadn't killed Lockhorn, claiming that he didn't want to have to fill the Rogue's position. That could only mean one thing: he was after _my_ position. Great.

So I continued walking, so deep in my thoughts that I didn't notice that I was being followed until I hit a dead end and turned around to find myself surrounded by twenty rushers. Uttering a string of colorful curses, I drew two knives and settled into a defensive crouch, more than a little worried. Ten rushers I could take on and walk away without a scratch. Fifteen with injuries on both sides. Twenty, I wasn't sure. There wasn't time to ponder though. One of the rusher's came at me from behind. I sensed the moving blade at the very last moment and twirled around, slashing the oncoming cove from neck to navel. He dropped like a stone and I relieved him of his blade, sending it flying into one of his comrades. Star Strike attacked one of the rushers from above, diving down to claw out his eyes while Moonless wrapped herself around another cove's neck and squeezed hard. I sent two of my knives flying into the necks of an oncoming gixie and cove and pulled out two more blades. Having finished her cove, Star attacked another gixie, whilst Moonless bit a cove. I could tell she had injected venom when the rusher dropped on the spot. I smiled grimly. Nothing was as harmless as it looked. I sensed four more rushers coming up behind me, trying to catch me by surprise. I spun again and sent the two blades I held flying. They struck two of the rushers in their throats, and they died slowly. As quickly as I had thrown my knives, I had two more in my hands, which I used to dispose of the other two rushers. Soon they joined they're comrades on the ground. A gixie sliced into my shoulder, I had been so involved in my fight that I hadn't noticed her. I turned to get my revenge, ignoring the biting pain in my arm. Before I was all the way around though, she fell forward into me, a knife embedded deep in her back. I didn't stop to wonder how it got there, assuming that one of her comrades had turned.

I killed three more rushers and turned to face my next opponent, but could find none. That confused me. I thought for a minute and realized that only sixteen of them should be dead. Eleven killed by me, four by Star and Moonless, and one by the… I didn't know whom. I counted the bodies on the ground. Twenty exactly. I checked them more carefully as I retrieved my knives and theirs. Hm… that was strange. Four bodies, including one of the original sixteen I counted, had knives that were clearly not from Tortall. I shrugged and started to take them to when cold steel pressed against my throat and I called myself stupid in as many ways as possible for not checking my surroundings afore lowering my guard. Suddenly though, I heard the cove, I could tell from how deep his voice was, swear loudly with a heavy accent in what I guessed was Scanran. The blade was removed from my throat and Moonless flew over to settle around my wrist, her head held triumphantly and a smug look in her eyes. I couldn't help but grin. She must have given the cove a warning bite, judging from the fact that he wasn't dead yet. "What was that?" came the rough voice.

I glared at him, my eyes a shocking blue. "A warning," I replied, "Next time you will not be so lucky." I tossed him his knives and moved to leave, but the daftie stepped in my path. Fine, I would hear what he had to say, and then if he still didn't leave I would knock him out or escape over the rooftops. I wouldn't kill him, mainly acos I didn't want his mots after me.

"Do you have a sister?" asked the Scanran, interrupting my train of thought.

"Um… no," I replied slowly, "Why do you ask?" I was very confused. What did the cove want?

The cove shrugged. "I just thought I had seen someone like you somewhere. But I saw a blue-eyed gixie, not one with silver glims like yours…" he trailed off. I was becoming extremely irritated and thus becoming said "blue-eyed gixie." The Scanran looked positively shocked. I grinned and flipped backwards onto a box, gave an exaggerated bow, and made my escape over the rooftops.

Around noon I had fully recovered from my run-in with the Scanran cove and, with a good meal in my stomach and clean bandages on my leg and shoulder, I went to go see how I could hassle the Rogue and his rushers. As I was walking, I felt blood splatter a rusher's blade nearby and heard a child's scream. Following feel of the blood-covered blade I soon found myself in a dark alleyway just off of Copper Street. Five rushers surrounded a young gixie, I guessed she was around ten years old, holding a knife in each hand and standing in front of the limp form of a dead mot protectively. Even though there were tears streaming down her cheeks I could clearly see the determination etched across the gixie's face, and I immediately liked her. The rushers were so intent upon their prey that they didn't even notice my presence until three of their own lay dead. As I turned to face my next opponent, I saw the gixie slice the throat of the final rusher out of the corner of my eye. I nodded to myself. She was good for one so young. I quickly disarmed my opponent and pinned him down with ease of long practice. I took out a piece of parchment and a stick of charcoal and drew my sign: a long sword surrounded by eight small daggers. I used his own blade to pin the note to his shoulder and him to the ground, and stabbed another blade through his other shoulder, making sure he would not be able to escape until some other rushers or Dogs found him. I did make sure to pin him down a good distance away from what was obviously the gixie's house. I then turned to said gixie, who had slipped both knives into her belt and was now staring at me with wide eyes. "Well," I began, "would you like to give her a proper goodbye?"

A few minutes later I had the mot cleaned up some and inside the house. The gixie had just finished saying goodbye, as I had just finished dousing everything in oil. As we stood outside, I handed the gixie a candle, which she threw through the open doorway. Instantly the small house became a funeral pyre that was visible to the entire city. The gixie looked stunned, I was calm, and the cove I had pinned down had lost consciousness a while ago.

All of a sudden I heard a whistle blow down the street and swore under my breath; the cove wasn't going to remain there as long as I would've liked. I took the gixie by the hand and started to run, pausing only to grab my knives out of the cove's shoulders and tuck the note into a pocket on the inside of his jacket.

We continued to run for a while, stopping only when I reached my home. I opened the door, went into the other room and sat the gixie down on a chair. "I'm sorry that was so sudden, I didn't want to spend the next week in the cages. I'm Beka by the way, Beka Sarrasri. And what might your name be?"

The gixie was so quiet that for a moment I thought she might not answer. But then she piped up, "Cooper, milady."

I sighed. "Please don't call me 'milady,' I'm not but a thief."

Cooper nodded solemnly. "Yes milady Beka."

I grinned in spite of myself. "If that's how you want it milady Cooper. Now for the matter of your house. Obviously you are in need of one. Now you have three options." I settled into a chair across from Cooper's. "First, you can go back and live on the streets, and risk being killed by rushers or Dogs. Second, you could join the Rogue, but he would have only one use for a pretty little thing like you, and I can't quite see you becoming Lockhorn's doxie. And lastly, you could stay here with me and help me with my business as the Lone Rogue. I assure you, I would be very happy if you would stay, and Star and Moonless already seem to like you." It was true. My former companions had ditched me to stay with Cooper. Star was on her shoulder, and Moonless twirled around her wrist. "Oh, but there is one condition…" Cooper tensed. "… It will be just Beka and Cooper. None of this 'milady' stuff." Cooper laughed then, and came to hug me. I smiled and hugged her back, then showed her to her room and bid her goodnight.

I have been writing in this poxy journal for the past six hours, and it is well past midnight. I do not want to be irritable for Cooper in the morning, so I am going to sleep now. Goodnight.

**A/N- For those who wondered why i used Beka Sarrasri instead of Beka Cooper, i already had the character Cooper of Copper street in my head, and it took me a while to remember that Beka's last name was Cooper already. I didn't want to change Cooper's name because Cooper of Copper Street is awesome (if i do say so myself), and besides, Rebekah Sarrasri sounds okay too right?**


	3. Author's Note

Author's Note

Hey, sorry I haven't updated in a while, I had chapter three all written up and ready to be posted when "Microsoft Word quit unexpectedly. Would you like to reopen?" Well, I tried, and my comp shut down on me. What are the odds? Well, I'm posting this using my friend's computer, but u might not see Chapter 3 for a while. I promise I'll get it up ASAP, but sorry if it's a bit of a wait. Please read a story my friends and I wrote, _Tales of the Crims: Crashing the Mayor's Party_, in the meantime. It's just a short oneshot, but it was a lot of fun to write. It's an example of what happens when you mix parties, sugar, the Crims, and sheer stupidity all into one. The result is us rolling on the floor, cracking up for seemingly no reason, and this story.


	4. Chapter 3

January 17

270 HE

When I awoke this morning, there was sunlight streaming through my window. I had overslept. Great. I sat up quickly and changed out of my nightclothes.

Downstairs in the kitchen I found Cooper practicing throwing knives at the thick wooden board I had hung up on the wall for that exact reason. As I watched, she threw both of her knives and they hit the board dead center in perfect synchronization. I clapped and she spun around, not having heard me enter the room. She gave a tentative smile. "Good morning Beka. Um… sorry for coming down so early on my own. I didn't want to wake you and Star and Moonless said you wouldn't mind…"

That caught me off guard and I looked at her. "Star talks all the time, she's a constellation with magical powers, but did you just say that _Moonless_ told you as well?" _Yes you dimwit_ Star told me through mind-speak. _The girl has the Gift. Not your Gift!_ She snapped as I raised my eyebrows. _Her own Gift, one that allows her to connect with the mortal animals. She's god-favored too you know._ I nodded at this information then looked at Cooper as she began to speak again.

"I have a sort of… talent with animals. I can speak to them. Ma thought I was crazy, and that's why she sent me to live with Grandma."

I nodded again, this time in understanding. I knew what that was like. "I have a Gift too, except mine is with blades. Me own ma kicked me out onta the streets when I was but a lass like you." My grammar slipped as I remembered the day I had been shoved out of my door with naught but the clothes on my back and told to never return. "My mother thought I was possessed. Oh well, the past is the past. Here, you want to test my Gift?" Cooper nodded eagerly. "Alright, here. Take this," I handed her a random knife, "and hide it anywhere in this room. I'll find it."

"Okay," said Cooper, taking the knife. She was going to hide it when Moonless unwrapped from her wrist and flew over to coil around my eyes and canceling out my magic. I hate it when she does that.

"Moonless, this is, totally unnecessary." I tried to pry her off, but it didn't work.

I heard Cooper giggle. "She says she'll let you go when I'm done hiding your knife. She thinks you'll cheat."

I tried to look indignant—I'll tell you; that's _very_ hard to do with a bat-snake wrapped around your head like some sort of turban. "Cheat! I never cheat!" But I stopped struggling anyways.

A few minutes later Moonless unwound and flew over to curl around Cooper's shoulders. I felt the rush of my returning Gift and breathed a sigh of relief. Cooper was leaning on the wall a few feet away from me, arms crossed lazily. I sent out a wave of power. My blade was, warm. How could it be warm? Unless… I grinned at Cooper and pulled one arm away from the other, catching my knife afore it hit the floor. She grinned. "You're good with you're Gift. Star says that if I practice hard enough, then eventually I'll be able to change into animals, but right now all I can do is talk to them." She looked disappointed.

"Hey," I said, "I just have to hope that Moonless understands me. Also, I have no idea what she says back. You're very lucky Cooper."

She smiled again, and I pulled on my cloak. My cloak is probably the deadliest thing I own. In it I carry over forty knives and two long swords. Also, it's spelled to remain light as air and just as maneuverable, so it doesn't cause a hazard for me in a fight. And last, but definitely not least, it is impenetrable by knives or arrows. The only way to get past it would be a thrust through the gap, which is very small. Yesterday I bought a smaller version of it for Cooper—cost me a pretty penny it did—and gave her ten knives to put in it.

"Alright," I told my new partner, "Let's go, we have business to take care of.

Route was fairly simple, especially with Cooper watching my back. After lunch, as I was congratulating Cooper on a good first morning, I sensed familiar blades and swore colorfully. "Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith! Cooper! Walk a few feet behind me, and if someone gets too close to me, get your blade against his throat, fast." She nodded and faded back into the crowd.

Sure enough, a few seconds later I felt someone grab me by the shoulder. I turned my head and saw the Scanran cove. _You'd think he'd have learned his lesson the last time he tried this._ I thought. _Oh well, I won't need Moonless this time._

Even as I was thinking this, I saw Cooper approaching silently and swiftly through the crowd and smiled sweetly at the cove. "Can you not leave me alone? It's beginning to get a little irritating." It was true and I could tell that my eyes were again changing to the blue they became when I was annoyed. I could always tell what color my eyes were. I was rewarded with seeing the Scanran flinch. Although, he was obviously startled, the cove didn't take my warning and leave. At that very moment, Cooper's knife descended down upon his throat. "Just remember," I told the cove, "I warned you." I nodded at Cooper then turned my head to the sky and whistled for Star Strike, who landed on my shoulder. Moonless' head poked out from the sleeve of Cooper's cloak and the bat-snake opened her mouth wide, baring her fangs. If she injected the correct amount of venom, the Scanran would feel nothing when Cooper slit his neck open.

The cove's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "Wait!" I motioned for Moonless to stop for a minute. "I am not following you around. I was told that you could tell me where the Lone Rogue was."

I had to bite my cheek to keep myself from laughing. The cove had truly not yet figured out who I was yet! It was relieving yet insulting. "Yes, I do indeed know where to find the Lone Rogue." _Don't let Cooper tell the Scanran who I am. _I told Star through thought speak. Star turned to Cooper and after a minute the gixie nodded.

The cove looked up at me again. "Can you tell me where he is?"

I couldn't help a small smile then. "Yes."

The Scanran watched me, obviously awaiting a more specific answer. Realizing he wasn't going to get one he asked, "Where is he?"

I grinned and motioned for Cooper to remove her knife. She shrugged and pocketed it. Moonless retreated back into the sleeve. "Here," I replied.

"Where?" he asked. I rolled my eyes and waited for him to guess, one eyebrow raised. After a minute, he got it. "Wait. You-you're-but-" his eyebrows came together as he put it all together in his head. "Oh."

I grinned and held out my hand to help him up. "Rebekah Sarrasri, Lone Rogue of the Lower City."

He took my hand and got to his feet, then shook it. "Rosto the Piper."

I nodded, then sighed. "I do suppose that you're here for my position. You've already turned down Lockhorn's."

He shook his head. "No, actually, I came to ask if the Lone Rogue was looking for allies. My friends and I are new here **(A/N- obviously)**,and we need allies. We're willing to earn our stay, unlike the Rogue's rushers."

I nodded; I knew how lazy the Rogue's chiefs were. "That's good to hear. It's never a good thing when you think someone's after your position. It tends to make you a little paranoid. Now, if there were some way I could meet your friends…"

A few hours later the alliance was formed. I had taken a liking to the redheaded gixie with the sword. Her name was Aniki. Cooper had immediately loved the archer/mage Kora, and they had become friends almost immediately.

Aniki told me that the inn they were staying in was disgusting and had mice, so I offered up some of my rooms—Mithros knows I have plenty of them—and the Scanrans accepted gladly.

The Lone Rogue has permanent allies in the Lower City.


	5. Chapter 4

January 18

270 HE

This morning I awoke to the sound of high-pitched howling outside my door. I sighed, got out of bed, pulled on my outfit, and fixed my hair into the usual braid with the spike-trap woven in to give people a nasty surprise if the decide to grab me by the hair.

This took about ten minutes, and there was consistent scratching on my door the entire time, coupled with occasional barks or whines. I growled and was just crossing the room to open the door when another howl sounded, this time from downstairs, where the Scanrans' rooms were. I heard a blast and several loud Scanran curses, and guessed that Kora had woken up.

Aniki had warned me the night before not to surprise Kora, especially in the morning. Kora was a very powerful mage, and particularly skilled with fire spells.

I just hoped she hadn't hit my door. Doors were expensive and I didn't want to steal a new one. Do you have any idea how hard it is to steal a door whilst trying to look inconspicuous? It's like trying to stay hidden but having a huge arrow that says. "Lookit! I'm over here!" You can't just nick it off a person like you can a purse!

Coming out of my thought, I pulled open my door to reveal a black wolf pup sitting in my hallway wagging its tail. The second I stepped out of my room, it stood up, wobbled over to me and began to butt its head against my leg, seeking affection. I took this opportunity to better examine it. It was large, for all it was obviously a young pup. It was about three feet long, plus an extra foot-and-a-half if you added its tail, and was about two-and-a-half feet at the shoulder. Its teeth were white as snow and as sharp as knives.

Those were not its strangest features, however. As I crouched down to scratch the wolf's ears, I noticed its eyes and reeled back in shock. They were a bright shade of gold. When I reeled back, the pup's eyes changed to a dull shade of gray, looking confused. Then its eyes shifted to a green-gray color and the wolf was the perfect picture of remorse.

I recovered from my surprise and reached over to scratch its ears again. Its gaze slowly returned to gold and it let out a sound that could only be described as a blissful sigh. It rolled over onto its back, asking me to scratch its belly, and I quickly checked its gender. The pup was a male.

As I petted the wolf, I tried to think of a name for him. I was debating several different names when I noticed just noticed just how pitch black the pup's coat was. I decided on Nightfall, or just Night for short.

There was another howl, another blast, and more swearing from downstairs, and I decided I'd better go see what it was. Nightfall followed at my heels.

A few minutes later, Kora, Aniki, Cooper, Rosto and I were all seated on the grass behind my house, eating breakfast while my pup and the one who had shown up at Rosto's door tumbled around, a bundle of black and white fur. The two were nothing alike. Nightfall was of the deepest, darkest black whilst Rosto's pup was whiter than Rosto's hair. I'm just kidding about Rosto's hair, but the pup really is white.

Also, Night's a male and the other pup is a female. They were "as different as the day from the night," as Kora put it. Rosto agreed, and so his pup became Daybreak, or just Day. So now there is Night and Day.

The only things the two wolves had in common was their size and their eyes, always changing color with their mood. They were like me in that way, except their eyes changed to different colors than mine did, thankfully. I didn't want people to know how I was feeling just by comparing my eyes to the wolves'.

I asked Rosto how he came to be known as "The Piper," and Aniki ordered him to play for us.

He really is very good and he soon had all of us dancing to tune of his flute.

It wasn't until the wolves began to dance as well that we stopped and looked at Rosto in awe. He shrugged. This hadn't happened to him before.

The wolves looked up innocently and suddenly I heard a voice and barking. "More music, more music!" the voice practically begged, "Nightfall like dancing!"

"Daybreak like too!" chimed in another, more feminine voice.

"Was that-"

"Did they-"

All of us were at loss for words. Star Strike flew out of the trees and landed on my shoulder. _You are very lucky, Silvereyes, _she said, _the Pack doesn't get sent down to just anyone._

So Nightfall and Daybreak are constellations too. Great.

**A/N- What do you think of "the Pack"? Like? Hate? Review and tell me! Critique always welcome, compliments even more welcome, believe it or not!**

**Oh, here's a fun little game; one word to describe Rosto the Piper. When I get… let's say 20 reviews, I will announce a winner! Doesn't that sound fun?**


	6. Chapter 5

Janaury 19

270 HE

Aniiki and Koura decied to thro a patry four no reasin toonite. I feer I drunk two much and I feal reely fuhny rite now. Im gonna bee sik.

**A/N- I know it's short, but i just had to put in a drunk scene like Tammy did in Terrier. Oh, i just realized i forgot something in all of my other chapters. **

**Disclaimer- It's very sweet if you think this, but I am NOT Tamora Pierce. If I were, both Bloodhound and Elkhound would be out already so my poor readers wouldn't have to wait anymore! Also, I do not own the characters Beka, Rosto, Aniki, or Kora. I do own their personalities in this story though. And I DO own Nightfall, Daybreak, Cooper of Copper Street, Moonless, Star Strike, and Gladimaeus Lockhorn, Rogue of the Corus.**


	7. Chapter 6

January 20

270 HE

Please excuse my poor writing last night. Aniki and Kora decided to celebrate "the arrival of two more constellations to our humble abode." I think they just wanted an excuse to get super drunk. Ugh. I can't believe I joined in that nonsense. Fortunately, I had the sense to send Cooper upstairs to bed afore we got too intoxicated.

I don't remember much about last night other than the fact that Master the Piper kissed me. I would've punched him, but he was just as drunk as the rest of us, so he must not have meant it. I'll let it slide this time, but if he ever tries to kiss me again, I will break that pretty little nose of his.

When I went down to breakfast this morning, the Piper caught my eye and winked. The cheeky cove looked very proud of himself. I swear, Rosto the Piper is as vain as proud as a peacock.

He seemed to be spacing a lot, so I asked him what he had his mind on. With a wicked grin and mischief in his eyes he replied, "Not much, just think about the… _details_ of last night. His grin only widened as I tried to keep myself from throttling him, allies or not.

Fortunately Aniki, Gods all bless her, noticed my rising temper and pulled Rosto away fiercely by the ear and began reprimanding him. About what, I didn't know, but Rosto seemed to be complaining.

He continued on for a while and Aniki threw an exasperated look my way afore whacking him over the head hard, shutting him up quite effectively.

The sight of the Piper standing there, gaping like a fish, was strangely hilarious to me. The look on his face was priceless.

As the two Scanrans were walking back towards us I heard Aniki say, "…and next time it will be with the flat of my blade," which only made me laugh more.

Now it was Rosto's turn to glare at me. "That wasn't funny…" he muttered, but I could only shake my head in disagreement.

Route was fairly normal. Killed fifteen rushers, marked eight, mortally wounded five. Received long gash on arm, broken nose, and broken wrist.

Kora healed them all properly, but ordered me to get some sleep and not to go on route tomorrow, which bothers me. She was right about one thing though; healings do make you tired.

**A/N- Another shortie, I know, but hey, four chappies in one night! That's sweet! R and R please!**


End file.
